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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rock — a stone
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. race — a contest
  7. craft — boats
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. key — in music
  15. bank — for money
  16. can — a tin
  17. bank — for money
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. race — the arms race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com